Darn It!
by czarina-kathryn
Summary: Mel is always busy and she's had enough. She decides to try and escape court and all it's headaches. Instead she stumbles falls really into an even bigger headache, love.
1. Confusion

Disclaimer: None of this belongs to me; it's all Sherwood Smiths.

Darn It!

Chapter 1: Confusion

Looking around Meliara groaned in frustration. Courtiers were everywhere. You could never find a moment alone without one of them popping up and interrupting it. Venturing to the garden Mel found it as full of people as everywhere else. Throwing her mind around for anywhere that would offer her solitude she found herself staring at the tree in front of her. It was a very nice tree, a pine by the look of it. Its branches were at just the right spot to facilitate climbing too. Now that she thought about it, the last place anyone would expect to find her was in a tree. She could be outdoors and not have to endure attempts at conversation or curious stares.

It was perfect. Well except for the fact it was very un-countess like to climb trees. But really there wouldn't be any trouble if no one saw her climb the tree. In fact it would practically be like she hadn't done it at all. Shooting a few furtive glances over her shoulder Mel hiked up her skirt and scampered up the tree. It was wonderful. A peaceful bliss she'd been searching for since her arrival at the palace. The soft pine scent reminded her of her home in Tlanth. Wedging herself between the trunk and a branch and let her mind drift. Soon she was fast asleep.

She awoke with a start as the sky was beginning to turn red with the sun's setting rays and was momentarily confused about her location. A quick look downwards reminded her of the tree she was in and her cramped legs told her how long she'd been napping. Occupied with her confusion, her mind had blocked out the sounds that had awakened her, but now as her brain stopped racing the sounds intruded on her senses once more. Faint voices were floating up from below her. Looking down she saw two people deep in conversation under the branches of her tree. She recognized them easily it was Russav and Shevraeth. As their conversation grew more heated she was able to hear bits and pieces of it. It seemed that they were arguing about whether Shevraeth should tell someone something.

Then quite clearly she heard Russav say, "Just tell her that you love her Danric. What's the worst that could happen?"

"She could say 'I hate you', which she has already made abundantly clear," Shevraeth replied his voice practically dripping with his court drawl. Clearly he was trying to hide how he really felt about the woman.

"_I wonder who they're talking about_." Meliara thought with a pang. She didn't understand why, but the thought of Shevraeth telling someone he loved them made her rather sick. Russav was talking again when she looked down, "You're wrong Danric she loves you. Just go up to her and say, 'Meliara, I love you!' And be quick about it too, I'm tired of waiting for the wedding."

When Mel heard that she nearly keeled over in surprise. They were talking about her! Up until that point she had assumed they were discussing someone who could make a suitable queen, like Elenet.

"_I mean Shevraeth and I hate each other_," she thought, "_Don't we? Or maybe we don't. Maybe I love him and just don't know it. I've never been in love before, so how can I be expected to know how to recognize it? For all I know I could just think I hate him when I'm really feeling love for him. Why doesn't someone just sit you down and explain these things? If they did I wouldn't have to be so confused right now!_"

Mel had a lot of thinking to do and up in a tree eavesdropping on a private conversation probably wasn't the best place to do it. In fact, a nice room with lots of breakable things for her to throw at the walls sounded just about perfect. Shifting her place in agitation she felt her seat on the branch slip. She had shifted too much and was thrown off balance. Reaching out she desperately grasped for another branch to steady herself on, but was too late. As she fell she contemplated the horrible irony of a world out to get her. Why was it that she always stumbled into traps or fell into private conversations? It wasn't like she was a klutz, but she was always getting into these situations and it was really getting old.

"_This is most definitely going to hurt_," she thought as her body rushed toward the ground, her long loose hair trailing in the air behind her like a coppery flag. Right as she was bracing herself to hit the ground and probably break a bone or two she came to a stop in a pair of strong, comforting arms. Looking up she saw a pair of startled gray eyes; the man holding her was Shevraeth. Closing her eyes, she willed for this all to be a dream, that she would open her eyes and Shevraeth would be gone and she would be in bed. She opened her eyes, he was still there.

"_Damn,_" she thought as a blush spread over her cheeks.

"My dear countess, are you alright?" Shevraeth asked in his usual drawl.

"Yes," she stuttered looking at anything but him. Shevraeth gently set her down on her feet and she could have sworn he let his hands linger a little longer than necessary on her waist. Turning toward Russav she saw he was barely containing his laughter. She blushed even harder if that was possible.

"My lady how pleasant of you to drop in on us like this," Russav said with a curious look up at the tree Mel had just fallen from. "If I may, I would inquire the reason that you were up in the tree to begin with."

"You may inquire Russav, but I have no inclination to give you an answer," she said avoiding his glance. Desperately she searched her mind for plausible reasons to leave Russav and Shevraeth's company. "I believe Bran is looking for me, so I really must be going gentlemen, but it was really nice to run into you, or fall as the case may be." Turning her back to them Mel began hurrying across the garden toward the nearest door.


	2. Self Pity and Wandering

Disclaimer: It's all Sherwood Smiths, not mine.

Chapter 2: Self Pity

Danric turned toward Russav and said flatly, "She heard and now she's even angrier with me. Did you see the way she stormed out of here? Oh gods!" He moaned placing his head into his hands. Looking up at Russav he said, "I love her yet can never have her. Everyday now my parents pressure me to find a bride, so that we may be crowned queen and king of Remalna."

Trailing off Danric felt anguish coursing through his body making him feel an almost physical pain. "Remalnans can't wait forever, they need leadership. They need a king. And I cannot be that king without a queen by my side and the only queen I could love hates me. What will become of Remalna because of my foolishness in scorning the only women who could be my queen? Soon my parents will force a marriage upon me whether I'm agreeable or not. Then I will live out the rest of my days in misery; a forced marriage is no way to govern a country. No partnership could be based in that." Danric stopped trying to get his mask back in place he was hardly ever this open with anyone including his cousin.

"Whoa, calm down Danric," Russav said clearly a little panicked at his normally calm cousin's breakdown, "It's not as bad as that. She loves you; you just need to tell her how you feel. She won't tell you. She's as skittish as the hill folk; you have to go to her." "Russav, you are an eternal optimist," Danric said with a sad shake of his heard, "Come on, we have to go. My parents are expecting us for dinner; they're looking forward to seeing you."

Chapter 3: Wandering

"_Damn it!_" Meliara thought, "_I can't believe it. How in the world could I have ended up lost? Lost!_"

Mel looked down yet another unfamiliar corridor. This was getting monotonous. She silently cursed herself for her foolishness in going through the first door she had found. Mel turned a corner and found herself standing in front of a curtained doorway. Sighing she pushed the tapestry aside, hoping it would lead her back outside or at least to someplace she recognized. Peeking through the now uncovered doorway she saw it was a personal suite.

"_Brilliant, just brilliant_." Looking around she saw the room was on the second floor so there wouldn't be any door to the outside. How in the world had she ended up on the second floor anyways? Taking another look she saw a steaming pot of tea sitting on the writing table. That meant the room's occupant would be back at anytime, so she had better scat. Even as she thought this she was staring fixedly at the two tea cups set out on the table. She really wanted a nice cup of tea. All this wandering had made her dreadfully thirsty.

"Besides," she reasoned, "If I stick around I can ask the occupant for directions." Of course it would be more likely that she would turn bright red and scuttle out of the room stuttering apologies, but hey here's to self-delusion. Walking over to the table she poured herself a cup of tea. Taking a sip she settled herself on the cushions I front of the fire. After all since she was making a terrible fool of herself she could at least be a comfortable fool.

Please Review! This is my first fic, so I'm trying to get some feedback on how to make it better.


	3. Romance and Stubborn Idiots

**Disclaimer:** It's not mine; Sherwood Smith is the brain behind the operation.

Thanks for all of the reviews. I really appreciate it. Thanks also for the advice. I'd like to apologize for Danric seeming a bit foolish; I just wanted Mel to be the smart one for once. Just to let you know Danric only gets more foolish as the story goes on, so if that offends you sorry.

Chapter 4: Romance

Dinner had been utterly exhausting. Danric didn't think he could stand one more veiled comment about available ladies who had 'fine leadership skills.' He knew his parents meant well but couldn't they find a more subtle and less annoying way of pointing out who they thought would make fine queens. Besides they hadn't once mentioned Meliara and that only vexed him more. How could they be so blind to her excellent leadership qualities, but see the same qualities in ladies who didn't really have them?

All he wanted to do was get to his room, collapse on his bed and never get up. This was a foolish wish of course. Every night he was plagued with dreams of Meliara, which drove him from his bed to wander the halls. You wouldn't think that dreaming of one's love could cause such pain, but the happy scenes filled with children and a brilliant Mel always left him empty because they showed things he knew could never be.

Batting aside his door tapestry he instantly knew something was out of place. His eyes swept the room and settled on his tea set; usually the servants gave him two cups. Tonight there was only one. Not that Danric ever had company for his late night tea, but his servants were hopeless romantics always hoping he would bring a lady to his room to share tea with. They probably spent too much time talking to his mother (the lot of them couldn't seem to see he wasn't interested).

Letting his eyes sweep the rest of the room he froze and felt his breath drain away. He had located his missing tea cup. It was in the beautiful and graceful hands of none other than the Countess of Tlanth, his heart's desire. She was sitting on the cushions in front of his fire as if she did so every day, as if she belonged there. For the first time in months he felt hope blossom in his heart. Maybe she could love him, just maybe. Of course he could never know unless he told her how he felt. He hated to admit it, but Russav was right, he had to tell her. Without even stopping to think about what he was about to do or the results it could bring (a first for him), he cleared his throat and said, "I love you, Meliara Astair, I always will."

Chapter 5: Stubborn Idiots

Lost in thought Meliara was far to engaged to notice if anyone had entered the room. She had been thinking about what she had overheard in the garden and come to some rather startling conclusions.

First, she really needed to think things out before she did them, like climbing trees and falling asleep in them. Second, she really ought to see to it that Russav met a painful death for his unmerciful teasing and laughter. And finally, she loved the Marquis of Shevraeth. She didn't know when it had happened, but he had stolen her heart. He'd just swept in mysterious as always and snatched it away so fast she hadn't even had time to notice it was his until now. Now she only had to find the courage to tell him how she felt. That of course was only a 'small detail,' HA!

Of course the fact was someone had entered the room and when his voice sounded out of no where Meliara started and of course dropped her tea cup. As the cup shattered on the floor she leapt to her feet turning about the color of a tomato ready to offer her apologies. Then the words that had just been spoken sunk in. Whirling around in amazement she found herself staring into Shevraeth's beautiful gray eyes. Usually these eyes were covered in an impressive mask that swept away all emotion, but right now standing in front of her his mask was gone. His entire face was open for her to read like a book.

She could see love, fear, and a little bit of hope, which seemed to be growing smaller with each passing second that she stood gaping in stunned silence. He had just said he loved her, and now her heart soared. She opened her mouth to tell him how wonderful he was, how much she wanted to be near him, how much she loved him.

But before she could even get a word out of her mouth Shevraeth cut her off, his face was again masked, but his eyes shone with hurt, "I'm sorry if I've offended you my lady, I'll never mention it again."

Mel opened her mouth once again to set him straight, to explain that her silence had just been caused by surprise and extreme happiness, when a servant walked into the room. Mel was a very private person and frankly didn't want to have to declare her love for Shevraeth in front of anyone else, even a servant. Shevraeth, however, seemed to be having none of her and asked the servant to escort her back to her rooms. She opened her mouth to protest, but was again cut off with a curt goodnight from Shevraeth who practically shoved her out the door giving her no time to say anything or protest being forced to leave.

"_Damn that man!_" Mel thought in frustration. Here she was trying to tell him how she felt and he was refusing to let her. It was ironic really how their positions had switched. This time the misunderstanding between them was really his fault, unlike during the war when the misunderstandings had all been her fault. He was also angry at her, if his actions had been any indication, and the position of being eternally angry had definitely been hers during the war. Oh well.  
Mel had trouble getting to sleep that night, but when she finally did she slept fitfully. Awaking in the morning Mel was determined to tell Vidanric, yes, it was most definitely Vidanric now, not Shevraeth, how she felt. So she spent the whole day waiting for him in the small memoirs library where he was usually found. He never came. Someone must have told him she was there. Returning to her room, Mel prepared for the ball Geral was throwing for his sister, putting special thought into her dress knowing that Vidanric would be there.

As soon as she reached the party Mel sought out Vidanric and found him tucked into a corner conversing with Russav. She went up and gently laid a hand on his arm, feeling a jolt run up her arm where they were touching. Vidanric tensed and whirled around his hand going to where his sword would have been had he been wearing it.

"No need to panic Shevraeth, I'm unarmed," she said with a smile.

"I apologize most profusely countess for my skittish behavior, but I fear I'm not quite myself tonight."

As he said that Mel caught a look of hurt in his eyes. "Well my lord, you could make it up to me quite easily by granting me a dance."

"Of course my lady, it would be an honor." So they danced, Vidanric didn't say a word and was uncomfortably stiff the entire time.

As the dance drew to a close Mel said, "I wonder if we might have a word in private." "I'm afraid not countess. I must be going," and with that Vidanric walked right out leaving her standing there open mouthed on the verge of tears. She fled through another door. How could love hurt so much? More importantly how could it be so frustrating? She was growing more annoyed by the minute and with her growing annoyance more determined than ever to tell Vidanric how she felt.


	4. Bruised and Oblivious

**Disclaimer**: It's not mine and it never will be.

Chapter 6: Bruised

The next day Mel put on her court dress and headed toward petitioners court. She hardly ever went, but she knew that Vidanric would be there. She'd find a way to corner him afterward and tell him how she felt no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

As always Mel was fascinated with court and enjoyed soaking in all the words rather than participating herself. As the bell rang an end to the petitioner's part of court Mel raced through the crowd snagged Vidanric's sleeve, and pulled him into a servants corridor all with out anyone the wiser, including Vidanric himself who was clearly confused at his sudden change of location. Mel only had a few minutes before Vidanric would be missed by the courtiers waiting to discuss the petitions, but she was hell bent on telling him how she felt.

"Vidanric," she said quietly looking up at him. She heard him take in a sharp breath of surprise at hearing her use his given name for the first time. And it felt so good to say it as well; his name almost flowed off your tongue. "Vidanric, I wanted to talk to you about the night before last, about what you said."

"Countess, I'm afraid that there is really nothing to discuss about what happened that night. As to what was said, I think it would be safe to assume that the party who did the talking was undoubtedly intoxicated and that parties words should not be taken seriously. They were nothing more than a loose tongue's wagging." Vidanric turned on his heel and left the small corridor without even a backward glance. If he had happened to glance back he would have seen a small countess sagging against the wall with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Chapter 7: Oblivious

"_That woman will be the death of me,_" thought Vidanric as he leaned against the wall outside of the corridor trying to regain his equilibrium. Why did she have to play these games with him? Hadn't he suffered enough with her rejection? Did she find pleasure in watching him suffer in her delicate hands? As it was he could hardly look at her without feeling the overwhelming need to bring her into his arms and kiss her senseless. Maybe if he had waited, told her how he felt later. Maybe then things would be different.

Struggling Danric managed to wipe his face of emotion. Only one more bell and then he could go to his rooms, no not there, gods he could never find solace there again. His rooms perpetually reminded him of what had become the worst mistake of his life. "_Ok, Danric hold it together,_" he thought as he walked into the room of waiting courtiers and started going over the petitions of the day. And no one even noticed he was hiding anything.

I know this is a really short chapter, but I kind of messed up my chapter's thing last chapter. Guess I'm still trying to get a hang of this. Anyway, next chapter is the last one, I think.

Yeah and I apologize for the many chapters I have. I have a bit of a fetish for making up chapter names. ï

Thanks for the reviews!

**Felsong**: I could change the way I wrote the story, but I'm really lazy. I'll definitely think about it if I write another. I tried to make the last chapter longer, but then this one is really short, so I guess I'm not really improving.

**Lorwyn Daystar**: Thanks for the review. I have no clue how to double space anything. I'm barely getting things posted.

**Erkith**: Sorry, I'm not real into having an actual plot, so no Flauvic, but it's not a bad idea.

**Violet Ivy**: I mentioned it last chapter, but I think Danric should be clueless for once. I mean Mel does it all the time, it's so his turn.

Also thanks: Legofiance, rootless californian, Allimba, and kimono.

Everyone who reviewed rocks!


	5. Love

Disclaimer: its all Sherwood Smiths

This is probably going to be the last chapter, but if you think I should keep going you can tell me. It might help if you add a fantastic idea I can use into your suggestion. Thanks for reading!

Chapter 8: Love

In the corridor Mel was slowly pulling herself back together. Vidanric's comment about not meaning that he loved her had hurt. She knew he was lying of course; he wouldn't have used his court drawl so heavily if he wasn't, but it still felt like her heart was being torn out. Mel just wanted all of this to end. She wanted to look him in the eye and say, 'I love you too.' Then she could run off to her rooms and hide there till Bran and Nee's wedding. After she had danced at the wedding she could head back to Tlanth and never set foot in court again. She knew of course that she was being completely unrealistic. After all the point of telling Vidanric she loved him was so they could be together.

She sat in the quiet dark corridor while she waited for her tears to stop. When they finally did she had reached a new resolve. She wasn't going to let Vidanric leave court today without telling him how she felt. It didn't matter if she had to tackle him and force him to listen to her by prying his ears open with a butter knife. She would do it. Slowly she crept toward the end of the hallway and looked out, no one was there. Emerging into the hallway she made her way over to the door leading into the discussion room and found that the courtiers had finished their discussion for the day and were now standing around in groups socializing.

"_Perfect,_" she thought, "_Now I can grab him and just get it over with._" Walking calmly into the room she began to walk over to where Vidanric was conversing with his mother, father, and cousin, Russav. Thoroughly fed up Mel dispensed with niceties. She could always apologize later.

She barged up to the cluster grabbed Vidanric's arm in a hold so tight she could almost hear the fabric ripping and said in her rudest of manner, "Now you listen here mister, I'm sick and tired of you flying off in a fury every time I'm trying to give you a piece of my mind. So here's what we're going to do, you agree to keep your mouth shut and listen to me till I'm done talking or I'll gladly yell our affairs loud enough so you can hear me as you run away, of course then the rest of court might happen to hear what were chatting about too. Got it?"

Mel could tell she was going to regret this later, but there was something liberating about her new 'I could care less' attitude that made her feel like she could do anything, even be Vidanric's wife. She could tell that Vidanric was startled and the rest of his family taken back; normally this would have been cause for her to turn as red as a fire stick, but she wasn't even blushing. It felt good.

"Countess," Vidanric said at last, "I must apologize; I did not realize I had offended you in any way. I would be happy to hear what you have to say."

"Great," Mel said and dragged him off in her death grip to a spot a little ways from his family.

"So Countess, what is it you wish to say?"

"You said you love me," Mel stated flat out ready to get down to business. When she said it she watched as Vidanric's court mask twitched and she saw the raw anguish residing beneath it before he got it back in place. "_Oh gods, I'm the cause of that pain,_" Mel thought her hands beginning to shake. All she wanted to do was reach up and touch his face make all that hurt go away. Pulling her thoughts back together she reminded herself that was exactly what she was going to do if she would just get a move on with it.

"We won't be talking about that," Vidanric said in a harsh tight voice.

"Oh, yes we will," Mel replied, "No matter what you said earlier in the hallway I know you meant it. Besides I heard you and Russav talking in the garden when I was up in the tree. There are so many things I want to ask you. So many things I don't understand, but I've pretty much boiled it down to one easy question."

"And what is that?"

"Do you think I would make a good queen, Vidanric? I want you to tell me the honest truth. No court hedging. I want to be able to look you in the eye and see that you mean your answer."

He only said two words, "You would," but his eyes they spoke thousands more. Mel lost herself in that moment seeing into the future that Vidanric wanted for them. She knew then that she wanted it just as much as he did. She felt like she was floating.

Then he turned saying, "Now this conversation is over."

Mel stood there for about 5 seconds before her brain processed that last comment. It wasn't her fault of course. Her brain was rather busy trying to keep her body from pinning Vidanric to the floor and kissing him senseless. After all that would hardly be proper behavior. But when her brain finally caught up and she realized Vidanric had just walked away she had only one thing to say, "Damn that man." Mel was truly over the edge now. She'd had enough. There was only so much a fire hearted women like herself could take. And she had reached that point and was now way beyond it walking on air.

"Marquis of Shevraeth," she cried loud enough for everyone in the room to hear, "I told you what I would do if you walked away from yet another of our conversations before I had had my say, but you didn't listen. So I'm just going to have to shout our business loud enough for you to hear as you scurry away from me like I'm some fire breathing monster." The sad thing was she really did look like a fire breathing monster at that point her hair flaming red and her eyes shining like burning pools filled with emotion. Mel paused for a second and saw that she had not only Vidanric's attention but the whole court's as well. Vidanric had turned around and was hurriedly making his way back to her waving his arms in a cutting motion trying to get her to stop. It was useless she wouldn't, couldn't, stop now. She was already bright red with embarrassment, what was a little more.

"I love you too," she shouted her eyes fixed right on his, her voice more of a wail than anything else. Then she stamped her foot on the ground and screamed, "Darn it!" With that she headed straight for the doors, the crowd parting before her with looks of surprise showing through their court masks. A few were even openly gaping at her. Suddenly someone grabbed her arm and she spun around coming face to face (well face to chest really considering the height difference) with Vidanric.

His eyes were boring into hers with such love she felt like she would melt right there. Their lips were only inches apart and she saw that he had dropped his court mask leaving his love for her out in the open for all of court to see. Leaning even closer to him she lessened the space between them to next to nothing, but she did have certain standards and she wasn't about to stand on her tip toes to kiss him. If he wanted to kiss her, he could darn well stoop down to do it. And that's exactly what he did.

I could say the end, but I don't know still, so think what you want.

Ok I've been meaning to do this forever, but this is a shout out to my wonderful beta who actually agreed to work with me. I wouldn't even agree to that. So Niffer you rock!

Now to thank all my reviewers:

Lizzy: Thanks so much for reading it; I'm glad you liked it.

Kristina: thanks also

Erkith: I do love fluff, but I guess some people don't. I have no clue what's wrong with them.

Legofiance: sorry about the short chap. I messed myself up some how. It's all a bit odd really.

Wake-Robin: Yeah it's not really realistic Danric behavior, but I figured he could suck it up. After all he gets to be the smart one in all the other fics.

Danric-Lover: Thanks for the restraint. Hehe. Yeah Danric is rather frustrating, but hey hasn't everyone wanted to go Danric hunting at some point or another?

LorwynDaystar: I owe you as usual. Remind me to talk to you at some point.


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